OMG, OMG, Oh my God!

OMG, Hunter, the rock star tiler, was back to finish his work.   He managed to complete our ensuite after finally getting the Baroque wallpaper feature tile.  Thinking maybe I should have used more of the feature, but then again, less is more.  My ensuite is sooo big.  Didn't realize and couldn't really tell until now that the painting and tiling is done.

Shower niche still has to be tiled.

Mirrors to be installed after painting

Speaking of painting, met with the painting supervisor, Rob and he advised that his team will be starting the next two coats of paint on Monday and should be finished with all painting, including the outdoor painting by the end of next week.
The carpenter, Wayne was back this week as well.  He was finishing the architraves and the skirting boards so the painter can continue with his work.  My bedroom door has finally been hung.  When I chose it I was a bit concerned about how it would look but now I'm so glad I chose this door.  It's made up of two shades of wood and will look great when it's varnished.  Will also look really nice with our dark wooden floors.

Now onto the best part, OMG, my kitchen bench top was finally installed on Monday, Night Sky Caesarstone.  Always liked this colour from the first time I saw it and was determined to use it in my kitchen.  It compliments the kitchen cupboards quite well, I think.  The installation of the bench top means that Hunter could finish the splash back tiling.  OMG, OMG it looks amazing.  I love it when a plan comes together.  Really happy with the end result.  The stainless steel appliances should finish everything off quite well.

changing kickboards to stainless steel

Love the large island bench 

Hunter is due back on Friday to finish the grouting and all the shower niches with the feature tiles.  Every time I  look at these pictures I just want to wipe down my kitchen cupboards and clean my bathrooms.  

These walls are smokin'

Another day, another step closer.  What a beautiful day in Sydney today. The weather was magical and I dragged Ben out of bed for an early start to our day.  Didn't want to waste a minute of the sunshine.  Drove over to the house and surprise surprise, there was work going on.  We didn't expect to see anyone at the house on a Saturday.  We knew that the tiler was due back on Monday, hope he gets the mosaic and more tiles he needs to complete the main bathroom.  We actually thought that everything else would have to wait until the tiler was finished.
Well, the painter was there doing the first coat of paint.  He told us that they call the first coat, the "show coat" as it reveals any blemishes and defects that the plasterers will have to fix later.  He was expecting to finish the "show coat" by this afternoon.  Then the walls will be sanded and checked before the next coat of paint was applied.  Now, this must mean that the end is near!  We chose Bristol "White Smoke" in low sheen on all our walls.  This should offset our dark floors nicely.  The skirting boards, architraves, eaves and doors are all been painted the same colour but in the gloss finish.  The ceilings and cornices will be white. Some rooms will have feature walls done after hand over.

Kitchen painted

Family Room

Master Bedroom painted

Furthermore, the plasterers were there to neaten up all the joints between the cornices.

Also noticed that the gas has been connected.  Wow, soon we'll be "cooking with gas!"

Tiling Update

Tiling has now well and truly started for all our wet areas. The tiler started on the main bathroom first.  Our choices for the main bathroom are:

• Main Tile- Palatino Flax (light grey) 200 x 600 mm
• Feature tile- Baroque Scroll Tile in Black

The main bathroom tiling is going up to shower height, 1.8m all around laid horizontally.  The feature tile has been used in the shower niche and the entire left wall opposite the shower.  The free standing bath which we've bought ourselves will stand alongside this wall.  The black feature tile has also been laid between the vanity and mirror. The floors are a dark grey.  The tiler told us he ran out of tiles, don't know how Di Lorenzo did their calculations.  SS has already been advised by the tiler and apparently he was on the phone to Di Lorenzo straight away.

Feature tile, freestanding bath to be installed in front of
the windows

claw foot tub for main bathroom

Feature tile between vanity and mirror ,to be installed

We chose the following tiles for our ensuite:

• Main Tile- large rich cream tile 300 x 600 mm 
• Feature Tile- Baroque wallpaper mosaic in turquoise blue and silver

The feature tile will run down the right side of the shower.  The floors will be veneer coffee.  The Chinese tiler, Hunter advised he could'nt complete our ensuite as the feature tile was not delivered as yet.  He should get that by Monday and then the wall tiles will be done.  The cream tile will be laid horizontally.

Hunter, busy laying the ensuite floor tiles

Love our kitchen splash back tile.  It is a large glass tile, 600 x 600mm which will be laid horizontally.  It has silver metallic flecks embedded in it.  The colour changes between a dark brown and black depending on the lighting.  I asked for charcoal grout as well to keep the continuity of the colour as much as possible.  Tiling will continue up to the bulkhead. The same tile will be used as a splash back for the butlers pantry sink.  Hunter couldn't lay these tiles either as the bench top needs to be installed first.  He told me SS has been advised of this as well.

BTW, these cupboards are a light creme, my
camera makes it look pinkish.

So we expect the bench tops to be installed before the weekend.  The carpenter has to also return to complete the architrave for the sliding cavity door to our walk in robe.  The tiler needs this done so that he can tile around the architrave.  Very happy with the tiling done by the friendly Hunter.  He looks like a Chinese rock star with his long hair.  Even has the name to suit.  Looking forward to next week and the completion of the tiling.  Whats next?  Painting maybe....

Tiling Teaser!

Boxes of little and some not so little, surprises are all over the house.  Yes, our tiles are there waiting patiently for the tiler to lay them.   I know you are all of sick of me saying it's exciting, but there is no other description for it. Feeling like a little kid on Xmas morning, just waiting to unwrap my presents.













The tiler has already started the preparation of the wet area floors.  Tiling is actually due to start tomorrow.

Other little things have happened as well.  The bulkhead has been completed in the kitchen. 

Doors for our media room have been delivered.  Lovely colour they are too.  They will be painted a gloss white.

The garage door has also been installed.  Really happy with the slimline woodgrain finish in Paperbark.

More pictures to follow tomorrow with an update on the tiling progress.  

What's cookin' good lookin?

It seems like an eternity since we made our kitchen colour choices.  Well the wait for installation and to see if it all works together is finally over. Our kitchen was installed today and I have been totally seduced by it. After all the anxiety about whether the colours we chose would have the "WOW" effect,  I am pleased to say it looks absolutely delicious.

Island bench has one soft touch door missing

Bulkhead to be installed above the back wall cupboards

We chose to use Stipple Hemp Laminex for the back row of cupboards and pot drawers.  This row of cupboards includes two sets of pot drawers on either side of our freestanding stove and a pull out spice caddy. All the doors are soft closing doors.  The splash back tiles which go along with this side of the kitchen, are a large dark glass tile with metal flecks embedded into it.  This should offset the colour of the laminex really well.

Seductive Limba (love the name), wood grain laminex was used for the island bench with Night Sky Caesarstone for the benchtops.  The benchtops are due to be installed next week.  

Our butler's pantry was fitted out as well.  I chose to move our double sink to the pantry and have only one under mounted single bowl in the island bench.  The dishwasher and the wine fridge will also be installed in the butler's pantry along with extra melamine shelving.   My plan is to keep small appliances to a minimum in the kitchen.  Aiming for a clutter free kitchen.

All the floating vanities have been installed as well.  For my ensuite I used Wenge for the vanity doors and Sand Drift for the square form top.

The main, 3 way bathroom, vanity doors are Stipple Hemp with Roman Marble for the square form top.

Waiting to see how it will look together with our bathroom tiles.  What's next you may ask....tiling is due to start next week.  The sand and cement have already been delivered for the tiling.   By the way, the exterior painting was finished today as well.  So lots of progress this week.

Open sesame!

I wish that all it took were these two words to open our front door 'cause we have been officially locked out.  Met the carpenter, Wayne this morning.  A really friendly and pleasant guy.  He was there to install the doors, architraves and skirting boards.  Luckily I met him because he had no idea that we wanted the skirting boards tacked on lightly so that we can remove them for the installation of the wooden floors. I sent our SS an email last week, he must have forgotten to mention it to Wayne.  He was glad I told him and he even showed Ben how to remove the skirting boards easily.  He also wanted to know what wardrobe doors we were going to have because he needed to adjust the fitting of the skirting board if we were getting sliding doors. He also offered to let the tiler know to adjust the tiling in the laundry to allow for sliding doors to the linen cupboard as well.  He was finishing all the architraves in the wet areas so that the tiler can start his work.  Wayne will be working on the house for the next few days.  

Front Door hung

Laundry door 

1 half of Master Bedroom door

Architraves done in Ensuite

Ensuite shower water proofed

The eaves were been painted today as well.  That should be finished by the afternoon.  Hoping my next post is "seductive".  Stay tuned, you'll know what I mean when you read it.

"And all that Jazz"

It's time for the finishing touches. Oh, that sounds so good.  We are really starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Cornices were delivered on the weekend and installed today and it's all looking really good now with our high ceilings.  We chose to use the funky "Jazz" cornice for the living areas.  Really like the modern look of it. Cove designed cornices were installed for the remaining areas.

Architraves are obviously due next as they were delivered yesterday. We asked the SS to have the skirting boards tacked in lightly so we can remove them easily for the bamboo floors to be done after handover.  Speaking of bamboo floors we have been negotiating with Trishen, the manager of Just Floors in Castle Hill.  They have an extensive range of bamboo flooring and they gave us a fantastic quote.  Also found out that they do shutters and blinds as well now.

Doors were delivered on Tuesday.  Our front door is the pivot door, Infinity INF 6G by Corinthian doors.  It will be stained Chocolate brown.

Front Door

My master bedroom door is a timber door, Elegance (Elegant Oak) . The cavity sliding doors for our Media room, are Eden 3 panel with obscure glass.  Our pantry door is the Windsor 21, with obscure glazing.  All the other doors are standard flush doors.  Unfortunately, the arrival of the doors also means we will be locked out soon.  We presume that the carpenter is due soon as everything he needs to complete his jobs, have now been delivered.

Water proofing of the wet areas was also completed today and the tradies told Ben that it will be inspected tomorrow.  Our friends who recently moved into their new Wisdom home close to our house, called tonight to say that there was someone at the house.  They went over to check who it was and called back to advise that the walls were being sanded.  We were really surprised that someone was working on the house at 7pm.

An update

Gyrocking was finished on Thursday and the house was swept by the tradies today.  They were there this morning to install the wooden beam to the front facade.  They told us that the gyrocker will be back to finish the front patio ceiling.  An update from our SS yesterday advised us that over the next two weeks we will see the following done:

• Waterproofing of wet areas
• Fix out (doors, cornices, architraves and skirting boards)
• Kitchens and vanities installed
• Wet area tiling started

So a lot to look forward to over the next couple of weeks.  

Front facade with timber beams installed

Family Room with heaps of light streaming in and
cornices waiting for installation

Kitchen, butlers pantry door next to fridge space

Master Bedroom

gyp... ROCK ON!

Yes, you guessed it...we have walls.  I am beside myself with delight.  Ben says he went over around midday today and there was a team of Asian super plasterers  frantically working on the house.  They had a female supervisor who was cracking the whip.   At the rate they were going Ben thought they'd be done today but she said they'll be finished tommorow.

Plasterer doing the bulkheads of our entrance ceiling

 I braved the cold and dark and went over there tonight.  I had to see what it was looking like so far.  Obviously they weren't totally finished but I got a pretty good idea of  how it will all look.  These pictures were taken around 7pm.

Front Entrance 

Master Bedroom

More pictures to follow tomorrow when it's all done.

"Snug as a bug in a rug"

Thats how it felt when we stepped into the house today.  All the walls and roof have been insulated and it feels so cozy in there. The roof has been insulated with R3 batts and the walls with R2 batts.  We had rock wool insulation put all around the media room so that when the tv and surround sound are on, we can still hear ourselves in the rest of the house.  Also had rock wool put in between my ensuite and bedroom 2 so that the noise from my shower doesn't affect the "Princess".  Ben's been sick for a few days and thankfully he was there today to take some pictures for me.

Master Bedroom 

Rockwool sound proofing in media room

The house with scaffolding removed.

What does all this mean, you may ask?....INTERIOR LININGS ARE NEXT!  My excitement level is off the richter scale.

Done and Dusted!

Well, we had a productive day at the house today.  Went over there around 10.30 am and met with our lovely neighbours, fellow blogger,  Skypiea and his wife.  What nice people!  So glad we have good neighbours on our end of  Copper Street.  We spent about an hour having a good laugh with them before they left to do their tile selection (and spend more dollars) at Di Lorenzo.
We also had Mike from Ezyclip fences come over to measure up for the fence quote.  Ben and my son Thees got to work doing the extra power points, TV and data wiring.  Skypiea gave Ben the fantastic idea of the Network hub and this inspired Ben and Thees to run some cable for that as well.  We will buy the hub ourselves.  I hope we remembered everything.  Will go over tomorrow to draw all of this onto a spare floor plan for reference later on.

Super T, up in the roof cavity

I kept myself busy with what started off as just a dusting of the frame to prepare for the gyprock but ended up being a full on sweep out of the entire house.  I couldn't believe how much of mud there was on our floors and couldn't just leave it that way, especially with gyprock going up next week.

Master bedroom after I swept it, notice the pile
of dirt at the bottom of the picture.

By the end of the day, we finished at about 4.30 pm, I was well and truly dusted. The following picture is proof of that.

Busy Weekend

We have so much to do this weekend.  Planning on attending the Art workshop at The Ponds tomorrow morning.  Have to also fit in a meeting with Ezyclip Fencing for a fencing quote.  I already have one quote from Local Fencing.  Will then post off the quotes to our neighbours for their approval. 
This weekend Ben and my son are doing the wiring for our downlights and intercom system.  I will be trying to clean the inside of the house prior to the internal linings going on.  I cannot believe how filthy the place is.  There's wood chips etc. all over and would hate to think that the gyprock is put up with all that stuff behind the walls.  We invested in a cordless vacuum from Bunnings.  Hope that does the job well.  Have a great weekend fellow bloggers, I will be slaving away at the house.